Key case



May 19,1=925. 1,538,593

B. ROLFS V 4 KEY CASE Filed Oct. 4, 1924 Patented May 19, 1925.

UNITED STATES- I 1,538,593 PATENT OFFICE- n. u.rus Rows, or WEST BEND, WISCONSIN, assrsnonro AMITY LEATHER raonuc'rs 00., or wnsr BEND, wrscousm.

KEY CASE.

'Application filed October 4, 1924. Serial No. 741,610.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I. BALTUS Roms, a citizen ofthe United States, and resident of West. Bend, in the county of Washington and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Key Cases; and It do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

This invention relates to key cases.

Objects of this invention are to provide a key case which will hold a plurality of keys in a flat compact condition, which may be easily folded into a small space, and may be readily carried in the pocket, which may be quickly opened up and a single key swung out of the plane of the other keys and readily manipulated, and thereafter returned to its initial position.

Further objects are to provide a key case in which a main retaining strip formed of flexible material is secured to the body portion of the case, and. is provided with a plurality of slits one of which is located between each of the eyelets for receiving the key hooks so as to permit the upward bending of this portion of the retaining strip without distorting other portions thereof and without moving any other portion of the retaining strip upwardly, thereby seeuring the maximum flexibility for any desired portion of'the' retaining strip and consequently permitting the utmost freedom of manipulation of any desired hurther objects are to provide a key case which is so constructed thata single line of stitching or other securing-means may be employed for attaching themain retaining strip to the body of the case in anfex- 'tremely simple and cheap manner, thus materially reducing the cost of manufacture and increasing the speed with which these cases may be made.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which':--

Figure 1 is a view of the case opened out flat with a portion of the main retaining-strip broken away to more clearly illustrate the construction.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

The key case comprises a body or back portion 1 preferably formed of leather or similar flexible material. .From this back portion a pair of flaps 2 and 3 extend laterally and are adapted to be folded over the back portion into overlapping relation and to be temporarily secured. in position by means of snap fasteners At the upper edge of the back portion 1 a folded flexible member 5 is positioned. This flexible member 5 is preferably of leather or similar material and has its longitudinal edges Garranged adjacent-the upper longitudinal edge 7 of the back portion 1, as may be seen most readily from Fi ure 2. Thereafter, a line of stitching 8 1s 11111 through the overlapping marginal portions of the main retaining strip 5 and through the back 1, as shown in both'figures. This securely retains the folded strip in position and in folded condition against the back'l. This folded strip is provided with a plurality of eyelets or grommets 9 preferably of metal, as indicated. These grom mets are adapted to receive the outwardly turned portions 10 of the key retaining hooks or links 11 or of any suitable type of key retaining hook or link, one type of such link being illustrated in the drawing. These links or hooks are adapted to receive the keys 12 and are adapted to be detach ably secured within the grommets, as shown in section in Figure 1.

It is to be particularly noted from Figure l -that the main retaining folded strip 5 is provided with a plurality of regularly spaced slots 13 which are located between successive eyelets or grommets, and which extend through the folded strips to a point adjacent the line of stitching 7. Thisoonthe hook or link 11 together with the ad jacent portion ofthe attaching strip 5 without, however, distorting any other portion of this attaching strip.

It will be seen, therefore, that the highly desirable freedom of manipulation for the keys which is materially increased by the individually manipulable portions of the attaching strip 5, has been attained in a high degree bythis invention. It is of equal importance, however, that this freedom of manipulation is secured without increasing the expense of constructionbut n by providing, as illustrated in this invention, an extremely simple type of construction whereby these desirable characteristics are attained at a minimum of expense in manufacture.

Although the invention has been described. in considerable detail, it is to be understood that the invention maybe variously em bodied and is, therefore, to be limited only as claimed. 1

I claim:

1. A key case comprising a back portion,

i cover flaps adapted to fold thereover, a

folded flexible member having its longitudinal edges stitched adjacent one edge of-said back and havinga plurality of eyelets ad- 'acent its folded portion, said flexible memer having a plurality of transverse slits extending through its folded portion to points adjacent said stitching, and a plurality of U hook links adapted to receive keys and each having a portion extending through an eyelet and movably retained therein.

2. A key case comprisinga back portion,

cover flaps adapted to fold thereon, a folded 2 flexible strip having its Ion 'tudinal edges 

